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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Leishmania infecting man and wild animals in Saudi Arabia. 9. The black rat (Rattus rattus) a probable reservoir of visceral leishmaniasis in Gizan province, south-west Saudi Arabia.

Twenty-two black rats (Rattus rattus) were captured in houses where parasitologically confirmed cases of human visceral leishmaniasis had been recorded in Al-Arda Emara, Gizan province, south-west Saudi Arabia. Four of the rats were found to be infected with Leishmania; isoenzyme characterization showed that 3 were infected with L. donovani sensu lato zymodeme LON42 and the fourth with L. infantum zymodeme LON49. L. donovani s.l. LON42 has also been isolated from human visceral leishmaniasis patients living in this area, while dogs, but not humans, have been found to be infected with L. infantum LON49 in this part of Saudi Arabia.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Human haemoglobins and haemoglobinopathies in Arabia: Hb O Arab in Saudi Arabia.

In the Arabian peninsula, haemoglobinopathies, though very interesting, are still far from being fairly established. With the exception of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, where several aspects of the sickle-cell disease have been focused upon, few reports have appeared in the literature. However, in 1974 one of us (M.A.F. E.H.) has initiated a comprehensive investigation in collaboration with the Ministry of Health on haemoglobinopathies in various parts of the country. These studies have revealed a new pocket for the sickle-cell gene and a new structural abnormality. In the present report we describe the first finding of Hb O Arab in Saudi Arabia, which may shed more light on the anthropological significance of this haemoglobin variant.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

International forum: Saudi Arabia. Donor screening for HTLV-I in Saudi Arabia: is it cost effective?

After screening over 100,000 blood donations for the presence of anti-HTLV-I antibodies, a final prevalence of 0.0038% was established in a multinational donor population. Among 38,201 donations by Saudi Arabian donors, the prevalence was found to be 0.0052%. Fifty-eight donors were found to be repeat reactive in the EIA screen test, but only 6.9% of these (n = 4) were truly infected with HTLV-I as judged by the Western blot result. These results indicate that Saudi Arabia is non-endemic for HTLV-I as well as HTLV-II. The cost effectiveness of screening for HTLV-I in healthy blood donors from this area is highly questionable. Calculations point to a final risk of a case of post-transfusion HTLV-I associated disease of approximately one per 100 years at the current level of activity.

Blood Donors↗
PubMed2003

An economic assessment of the extent of medication use and wastage among families in Saudi Arabia and Arabian Gulf countries.

BACKGROUND: Expenditures for prescription and over-the-counter medications constitute a large percentage of total health care costs. Governments, health care providers, and consumers must work together to find ways to control these costs while continuing to provide quality health care for their nations. To this end, medication wastage is an unnecessary burden on an already fiscally restrained health care system. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify the extent of medication use and wastage among families in the Arabian Gulf countries, with an emphasis on Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A questionnaire was developed and administered to households in 5 regions in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. A total of 1641 households participated in the study (1554 in Saudi Arabia; 87 in other countries). RESULTS: The mean (SD) family size of household respondents from Saudi Arabia was 6.60 (3.20) members, with 0.32% reporting no medicines present in the household, 81.8% of households reporting 5 or more medicines, and 29.9% of respondents reporting having at least 10 medications at home. Overall, the mean (SD) number of medicines per household in Saudi Arabia was 8.0 (4.3). The most common therapeutic classes of medications kept at home in Saudi Arabia were respiratory medications (16.8%), central nervous system agents (16.4%), and antibiotics (14.3%). The mean (SD) number of drug products unused, deteriorated, or expired was 2.2 (2.7) and 2.7 (1.9) per household in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, respectively. From these data, mean medication wastage was estimated to be 25.8% (Saudi Arabia) and 41.3% (other Gulf countries). When analyzed on the basis of total medication cost, medication wastage was 19.2% and 25.0% in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, respectively. The mean out-of-pocket expenditure (based on the percentage of annual income) for medications was 0.72% for households in Saudi Arabia compared with 0.48% in other Gulf countries. CONCLUSIONS: Families in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries spent a total of approximately US $150 million on medications that were never consumed. However, there appear to be no immediate solutions to the problem of medication wastage's impact on health care costs. The use of generic alternatives should be promoted, and drug use assessments should be implemented on a national level.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed2000

Primary gastrointestinal cancers in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. Is the pattern changing?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the age, sex and relative frequencies of various gastrointestinal malignancies in patients registered with the National Cancer Registry from the Western Region of Saudi Arabia from January 1994 till December 1997, and compare this data with previous hospital based studies about the pattern of these malignancies in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A National Cancer Registry was established in Saudi Arabia in 1992, and since 1st January 1994 all cancer cases in Saudi Arabia have been registered with the National Cancer Registry. All National Cancer Registry data on patients with primary gastrointestinal cancers from the Western Region of Saudi Arabia from January 1994 till December 1997 was retrieved and analyzed according to ethnic origin, site, age, sex and relative frequencies of various tumors. RESULTS: Out of a total of 1833 cases with primary gastrointestinal malignancies 1207 (66%) were Saudis, while the rest were Non-Saudis. Colorectal cancer was the the most common malignancy found in both population groups accounting for 28.5% of cases in Saudis and 36% in Non-Saudis. Malignancies of liver, stomach and esophagus followed in decreasing frequencies. The mean age of the Saudi population was 58+16 years (standard deviation) with male to female ratio of 1.67:1. About 80% of the patients were above 40 years of age and the peak of onset for most of the tumors was between 50 and 70 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights that colorectal cancer is the most common gastrointestinal malignancy seen in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia followed by hepatocellular carcinoma. This is in sharp contrast to the previous hospital based studies from Saudi Arabia and national trends as seen in the cancer incidence report from the National Cancer Registry of Saudi Arabia. The factors for this changing pattern of gastrointestinal malignancy remain to the determined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2025

National strategies for screening neural tube defects in Saudi Arabia: activating prevention and early intervention.

BACKGROUND: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious congenital anomalies affecting the brain and spinal cord. Despite widespread folic acid supplementation and food fortification programs, regions such as Saudi Arabia have not experienced a proportional decline in NTD prevalence. This narrative review evaluates the multifactorial contributors to NTDs, focusing on the effectiveness of current prevention and screening strategies both globally and within Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative methodology guided this review, drawing from studies published between 2000 and 2024 sourced from PubMed, Scopus, and the WHO library. Keywords included "neural tube defects," "folic acid supplementation," "screening programs," and "food fortification." While not a systematic review, PRISMA principles were loosely followed to ensure study relevance and rigor. RESULTS: Globally, countries like the United States, Canada, Chile, and Australia have implemented mandatory folic acid fortification and reported NTD reductions ranging from 19 to 78%. South Africa, for example, achieved a 66% decline in NTD-related deaths post-fortification. In Saudi Arabia, similar initiatives have been launched, including folic acid campaigns and food fortification. However, national-level data evaluating their impact remains sparse. Regional disparities in implementation, awareness, and access have limited the success of these measures. Although 80.1% of Saudi women reportedly understand the preventive role of folic acid, uptake and proper timing of supplementation remain inconsistent. Screening services, particularly in rural areas, are not uniformly accessible, reducing early detection rates. Unlike countries such as Australia and Chile, Saudi Arabia lacks a standardized system for tracking and evaluating NTD outcomes. CONCLUSION: This review concludes that while Saudi Arabia has adopted commendable preventive strategies, the absence of comprehensive data, policy enforcement, and public education limits their effectiveness. Strengthening national monitoring systems, ensuring equitable access to screening, and enforcing mandatory fortification policies modelled on successful international practices are critical. Adopting evidence-based policies supported by robust evaluation frameworks will be essential to reducing the burden of NTDs and improving maternal and child health outcomes in Saudi Arabia.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

The status of cadaveric organ donation for liver transplantation in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: Over the past 2 decades, liver transplantation has became the standard treatment of end stage liver disease. Organ shortage has been the main hindrance against the progress of liver transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This paper reports the status of organ donation for liver transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and highlights the problems and the suggested solutions in relation to organ shortage. METHODS: All donors reported to the liver transplant program at the King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from the Saudi Center of Organ Transplantation from January 1994 through to June 1998 was retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and laboratory data were evaluated to decide on the suitability of organs for liver transplantation. RESULTS: Out of 216 donor offers only 100 were harvested and utilized (46%). Out of the remaining 116, 8 donors were declined based on bad clinical and laboratory data and the remaining 36 donors' livers were harvested but not used based on abnormal liver histology. This resulted in discarding more than 50% of the offered donors. The main reasons were related to poor donor maintenance and logistical delay. CONCLUSION: The number and quality of organs offered for liver transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the past 6 years has been deteriorating with a negative impact on the liver transplant programs. Adopting new strategies is required to support the donor program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is proposed that establishment of donor promotion offices in major hospitals can change the dismal picture of organ donation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia even at the current consent rate by better utilization of the available donors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Drug-associated admissions to a district hospital in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The modernization and expansion of the health system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has led to the wide availability of drugs and with it a potential for their misuse. AIM: To study drug-associated admission to a district hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with regard to pattern, demographic characteristics of patients and outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study between 1992 and 1994 of drug-related admissions to the medical wards of a referral district hospital in Abha, southern Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: One hundred and six patients were studied, 50 with drug overdose (OD, group A) and 56 with other adverse drug reactions (group B). Those with OD were younger and predominantly female. Analgesics, especially mefenamic acid and psychotropic drugs, were the most common causes of OD. Family disputes in females and psychiatric illnesses in males were the main risk factors for overdose. In group B, the most common adverse drug reactions were upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic injury caused by NSAIDs. The overall mortality was 3.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Although drug-related problems constitute a minor problem in Saudi Arabia, there is a potential for their increase in the future. Overall mortality was higher than in other countries. Doctors should be alerted and hospitals should be ready to deal with this problem in Saudi Arabia, from both a medical and social point of view.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Epstein-Barr virus infection is not the sole cause of high prevalence for Hodgkin's lymphoma in Saudi Arabia.

The age-adjusted incidence of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is markedly higher in Saudi Arabia than in the USA, and accounts for 10.5% of all neoplasias in children aged 15 years or older in Saudi Arabia. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection has been suspected to cause high HL incidence in developing countries. To investigate the role of EBV for the high frequency of HL in Saudi Arabia, we analysed 169 HLs from Saudi Arabia and 30 HLs from Europe for EBV infection by in situ hybridization with fluorescence in-conjugated EBV on tissue microarray sections. All Saudi Arabian and European HLs were analysed in one experiment under identical conditions. Unexpectedly, our data show only minor, insignificant differences in EBV infection rates between Saudi Arabian (42 out of 147 informative cases 28.6%) and European HL (nine out of 30 informative cases; 30%; P = 0.8752). Within the Saudi Arabian population, EBV infection was most frequently seen in mixed cellularity HL (52.4%). This was significantly more frequent than in nodular sclerosing HL (26.1%; P = 0.0236). EBV positivity was unrelated to patient prognosis. In conclusion, our data strongly suggest that EBV is not the main cause for the high prevalence of HL in Saudi Arabia. This would be consistent with a major role of genetic susceptibility genes for HL in these populations. The Saudi Arabian population, with high consanguinity and large families, would prove ideal for identifying HL susceptibility genes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Pharmacy education in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.

The practice of pharmacy, as well as pharmacy education, varies significantly throughout the world. In Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, the profession of pharmacy appears to be on the ascendance. This is demonstrated by an increase in the number of pharmacy schools and the number of pharmacy graduates from pharmacy programs. One of the reasons pharmacy is on the ascendance in these countries is government commitment to fund and support competitive, well-run pharmacy programs. In this report we describe pharmacy education in 3 Middle East countries: Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. All 3 countries offer bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) degrees. In addition, 2 universities in Jordan and 1 in Saudi Arabia offer PharmD degree programs. The teaching methods in all 3 countries combine traditional didactic lecturing and problem-based learning. Faculties of pharmacy in all 3 countries are well staffed and offer competitive remuneration. All 3 countries have a policy of providing scholarships to local students for postgraduate training abroad. The majority of students in Jordan and Kuwait are female, while the ratio of male to female students in Saudi Arabia is even. Students' attitudes towards learning are generally positive in all 3 countries. In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, most pharmacy graduates work in the public sector, while in Jordan, the majority work in the private sector.

Education, Pharmacy↗
PubMed1998

Visceral leishmaniasis in North West Saudi Arabia: a new endemic focus of L. donovani or further evidence of a changing pathogenic role for L. tropica?

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate patients with VL from the city of Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with particular reference to the possibility that a focus of VL exists in the North West Province of Saudi Arabia, an area where it had not previously been reported. SETTING: North West Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: Retrospective evaluation of all cases of infantile visceral leishmaniasis diagnosed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia between 1989 and 1994. RESULTS: 5 cases of infantile visceral leishmaniasis were reviewed. In four cases, no evidence of travel outside Tabuk could be identified, suggesting primary infection by viscerotropic Leishmanial organisms in this area of Saudi Arabia. CONCLUSIONS: Visceral leishmaniasis has been identified in an area previously not considered endemic for L. donovani. This observation may indicate either, a previously unrecognized focus of L. donovani or provide further evidence of a changing pathogenic role for L. tropica.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Saudi Arabia.

Hepatitis C virus genotypes have been associated with specific geographical areas and in many cases with specific mode of transmission. In developed countries, genotype determination has formed a part of the management of patients with hepatitis C virus seropositivity and liver diseases due to hepatitis C virus. The epidemiology of hepatitis C virus has been shown to be changing rapidly in many countries due to population movement and different life-styles; hence the distribution of the genotypes is being monitored closely in many countries. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, there are only a handful of publications recording the hepatitis C virus genotypes in various population groups. These studies have been carried out mainly in Riyadh (Central province) and Jeddah (Western province). There are no studies emanating from the Eastern or Northern provinces. According to these studies, the most prevalent genotype in the Western Province and probably in the whole Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was genotype 4, followed by genotypes 1a and 1b. Genotypes 1, 2a,/2b, 3 and 6 are very rare in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Genotype 5 was identified exclusively in the Western province and nowhere else. Genotypes 1b and 4 were associated with different histological grades of liver disease. Mixed infections with more than one genotype were observed in some studies. More detailed epidemiological studies of hepatitis C virus infections are needed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to gain more insight into a possible type/subtype-specific pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus in the different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as the distribution of the genotypes in the various localities.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2002

The prevalence of hepatitis B core antibody positivity in donors for liver transplantation in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: The risk of transmitting hepatitis B virus from donors who are positive for hepatitis B core antibody but negative for hepatitis B surface antigen has been a major concern in liver transplantation. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the overall prevalence of hepatitis B core antibody among the general population was reported to be very high indeed. The purpose of this study is to establish the prevalence of hepatitis B core antibody positivity among liver donors who are negative for hepatitis B surface antigen and offered for liver transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Hepatitis B serological markers were studied in 145 of 209 donors offered for organ transplantation over a 4-year period in King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: Out of 145 donors, 51 donors tested positive for hepatitis B core antibody but negative for hepatitis B surface antigen with an over all prevalence of 35.2%. The majority of donors were non-Saudi (75.2%), and predominantly from the Indian subcontinent and Far East. The prevalence of hepatitis B core antibody positive donor was significantly higher in non-Saudi (41.3%) compared with Saudi nationals (16.7%). CONCLUSION: In the view of this high prevalence, we believe that all donors considered for liver transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should be tested for hepatitis B core antibody. Furthermore, an algorithmic approach should be developed to minimize the risk of transmitting hepatitis B virus from donors to liver recipients, at the same time not to affect the existing small pool of available donor organs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Metabolic syndrome in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a well-established risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). We designed this study to obtain the prevalence of MS and each of its components in Saudi Arabia. This study is part of Coronary Artery Disease in Saudi Study (CADISS). METHODS: We conducted this community-based national epidemiological health survey by examining Saudi subjects in the age group of 30-70 years of selected households over a 5-year period between 1995 and 2000 in Saudi Arabia. We interviewed all subjects, examined and took measurements of their blood pressure, weight, height, waist circumference, as well as fasting samples of plasma glucose, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. We obtained the prevalence of MS based on the presence of at least 3 of the following: abdominal obesity (waist circumference > 102 cm (40 inch) in male and > 88 cm (35 inch) in female), triglycerides > or = 150 mg/dl (1.69 mmol/L), HDL cholesterol < 40 mg/dl (1.03 mmol/L) in male and < 50 mg/dl (1.29 mmol/L) in female, blood pressure > or = 130/85 mm Hg, fasting glucose > or = 110 mg/dl (6.1 mmol/L) as defined by the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III in 2001. RESULTS: We included 17,293 subjects in this survey during the study period. The overall age-adjusted prevalence of MS in Saudi Arabia obtained from this study is 39.3%. Age adjusted prevalence in males is 37.2% and crude prevalence is 40.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 39.8-42), while females have a higher prevalence of 42% and crude prevalence of 41.9% (95% CI 40.9-42.9). Saudi subjects from urban areas have significantly higher prevalence of 44.1% (95% CI 43.2-45) compared to those living in rural areas of 35.6% (95% CI 34.3-36.7) (p<0.0001). Low HDL affects 81.8% of females and 74.8% of males with MS leading all other factors, and it continued to be consistent in all different age groups. Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for CAD, as the prevalence of CAD was higher among patients with MS (6.7%) compared to subjects without MS (4.6%) (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MS is high in Saudi Arabia. Low HDL cholesterol plays a major role in the contribution to the MS in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we recommend routine assessment for the components of MS in patients with CAD, furthermore, we encourage aggressive management of the MS for primary prevention of CAD, particularly, measures to increase HDL cholesterol.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Epidemiology of travel-related malaria in a non-malarious area in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: The study describes the epidemiology of malaria in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and the species of Plasmodium causing the disease and the associated factors. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of the epidemiology of malaria at Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization in Dhahran, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The study included all patients with malaria from January 1994 to June 2005. We retrieved the cases from the archive epidemiology records on all notifiable diseases. The medical records of patients were reviewed and the following information was collected: age, gender, nationality, year and month of acquisition, travel history and the species causing malaria. RESULTS: Over the study period from January 1994 to June 2005, there were 56 cases of imported malaria seen at Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization. There were 28 males and 28 females with a mean age of 28.2 +/- 19.7 (range, 1-80) years. Saudis constituted 25% of the patients and the remaining (75%) were non-Saudi. Most of the cases (78.7%) were acquired outside Saudi Arabia and 21.3% were acquired in the Kingdom but outside the Eastern Province. The most frequent species were Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) (54.4%), Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) (43%) and Plasmodium malariae (1.8%). Of the cases acquired within other parts of Saudi Arabia, 71.4% were secondary to P. falciparum. Acquisition of malaria in India P. falciparum constituted 71.4% and in Pakistan 91%. For Sudanese patients, P. falciparum constituted 47% and P. vivax was 53%. Most of the non-Saudi cases were seen in the month of September (19%) whereas 57% of the Saudi cases were seen in February and April. CONCLUSION: There were no active cases of malaria transmission within the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia; however, the continued presence of imported malaria into this region may pose a significant health problem especially in the presence of the malaria vector. Thus, effective treatment and vigilance for cases of malaria is needed.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sporotrichoid cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major of different zymodemes in the Sudan and Saudi Arabia: a comparative study.

Sporotrichoid cutaneous leishmaniasis is due to dissemination of amastigotes via the lymphatics to the subcutaneous tissues. A comparison was made between the potential to disseminate by this route of 2 parasites of different zymodemes in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. In Sudan cutaneous leishmaniasis is caused by Leishmania major zymodeme LON-1, and in Saudi Arabia by L. major LON-4. Sporotrichoid leishmaniasis was significantly more common in Sudan, occurring in 23% of patients compared with 10% in Saudi Arabia. Lymph node involvement was slightly more prevalent in the Sudan. Clinical and pathological differences between subcutaneous nodules, particularly when they ulcerate, and multiple primary cutaneous lesions are described and treatment of localized and sporotrichoid leishmaniasis is discussed. The pathological features of the primary lesions in the Sudan and Saudi Arabia were similar.

Adolescent↗